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Author Notes: Henry and I eat ungodly amounts of ataulfo mangos each week. Often, I'll cut most of the fleshy bits off the peeled mangos and puree them in the blender with some whole milk yogurt, milk, and agave nectar for a quick lassi while Henry gnaws on the pit. For this contest, I wanted to make a light and refreshing salad à la Lena S's Plum Avocado Summer Salad, featuring mangos and fennel. The two pair together really nicely, I think, and I was happy to be able to use all of the fennel fronds along with the bulb -- they're so lovely. And, bonus, the fennel frond pesto stays green for a surprisingly long time, so this is a great make-ahead or picnic salad. - arielleclementine

Food52 Review: What a lovely combination of ingredients for a salad. It's light and fresh, yet substantial enough to be served as a vegetarian meal or side dish with a piece of fish or chicken. I would 'up' the quantity of lemon slightly as I think the acid pairs nicely again the sweetness of the mango. If you only have a lime in the fridge, use it ...it's a superb combination, as well! - thehappycook

Serves 4

1 bulb fennel with fronds

1tablespoon ginger, grated on a microplane

1 small garlic clove, grated on a microplane

Juice of one lemon (2-3 tablespoons)

6tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

2 large or 3 small ripe ataulfo or champagne mangos

Flaky sea salt

Make the Fennel Frond and Ginger Pesto: Shear the feathery fronds from the fennel bulb, leaving the thick stalks behind and chop the fronds roughly (you should have about 2 cups). Combine the chopped fronds, grated ginger, grated garlic, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse a few times to incorporate. With the food processor running, pour in the 6 tablespoons of olive oil and process until combined. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and season to taste with kosher salt.

Assemble the Salad: Trim the root and stalks from the fennel bulb and slice it thinly, cutting from root to stem. Peel the mangos and cut the flesh from the pit and slice into long, thin strips. Add the sliced fennel bulb and mango to the bowl with the pesto and toss gently to combine. Top with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Ok I have to tell you this..the day you posted this , I really wanted to have it. And, I had it yesterday and it was fabulous! I am so happy to have another salad in my recipe box. Loved it..Henry is so lucky! Thanks for the recipe.Next time I will grill the fennel just a little bit.

oh wow! thanks so much PistachioDoughnut!! i'm so happy you liked it and love the idea of grilling the fennel! :) on a related note, i read about your delicious sounding mango mousse on Documenting our Dinner (http://www.documentingourdinner...) and plan to try it as soon as humanly possible!